There is a strong possibility that Pakistan will tour Sri Lanka in January 2026, with discussions currently underway between the two cricket boards. If finalized, the series could see Pakistan play three T20 internationals in Colombo on January 8, 10, and 12. However, sources have indicated that the final schedule will be confirmed only after resolving certain pending matters.

This proposed series could further complicate the issue of No Objection Certificates (NOCs) for Pakistani players participating in the Big Bash League (BBL). The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had previously suspended players’ NOCs after the Asia Cup, and with a January series on the cards, several players might be forced to miss part of the Australian league.

The BBL is scheduled from December 14, 2025, to January 25, 2026, with seven Pakistani players lined up to participate. Babar Azam is set to play for the Sydney Sixers, Mohammad Rizwan and Hassan Khan for Melbourne Renegades, Shaheen Afridi for Brisbane Heat, Hasan Ali for Adelaide Strikers, Haris Rauf for Melbourne Stars, and Shadab Khan for Sydney Thunder. While Babar and Rizwan are currently not in Pakistan’s T20I setup, both could make a return ahead of the T20 World Cup. Shadab, who is recovering from injury, and Shaheen remain key figures in the national side.

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Meanwhile, Pakistan’s immediate focus remains on their upcoming home season. They are set to host Sri Lanka for three ODIs from November 11 to 15, followed by a proposed T20 tri-series from November 17 to 29 involving Afghanistan. However, with tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan escalating, the latter’s participation is now uncertain, and PCB may need to find a replacement team.

The January tour will also serve as crucial preparation for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026, which Sri Lanka will co-host. For Pakistan, the series could provide an ideal opportunity to acclimatize to local conditions ahead of the mega event.

The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has announced its squads for the upcoming white-ball series against Bangladesh, set to take place in the United Arab Emirates from October 2 to 14. The squad selections contain some meaningful inclusions and omissions as the Afghanistan team heads into preparations for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup next year.

Senior players Fazalhaq Farooqi, Gulbadin Naib, and Karim Janat were omitted from both squads, which the selectors responded to by adding new players to strengthen the team moving forward. Bashir Ahmad, a tall left-arm pacer who has yet to make his international debut, was added to both squads as a like-for-like replacement for Farooqi. Bashir has played 14 T20 matches, taking 12 wickets at an economy of 9.06. Wafiullah Tarakhil earns a T20I call-up following a strong Shpageeza Cricket League season, scoring 298 runs in nine innings at an average of 37.25 and a strike rate of 155.20.

Pacer Abdullah Ahmadzai returns to the T20I squad after being in the reserves for the Asia Cup. Fast bowler Mohammad Saleem Safi has been selected for the ODI squad, with Bilal Sami and Faridoon Dawoodzai as reserve pace options. Spinner AM Ghazanfar has been included in the ODI side but is a reserve for the T20Is, while the addition of Nangeyalia Kharote alongside Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi, and Ghazanfar further strengthens Afghanistan’s spin-heavy ODI lineup.

Leadership and CEO Statement

Hashmatullah Shahidi will continue as captain of the ODI team, with Rahmat Shah as his deputy. In the T20I squad, Rashid Khan retains the captaincy, with Ibrahim Zadran as vice-captain. ACB CEO Naseeb Khan emphasized the importance of the upcoming series following a long gap in international cricket for Afghanistan:

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"After a long six-month break from international cricket following the ICC Champions Trophy, we are now entering a packed season with many T20I games scheduled. This provides the team with an incredible opportunity to prepare for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup next year. The performances in the Asia Cup 2025 were not as expected, but ups and downs are part of the game. As always, we remain hopeful that AfghanAtalan will bounce back strongly and make our nation proud in the upcoming events," Khan said.

Afghanistan squads for upcoming white-ball series

T20I Squad: Rashid Khan (capt), Ibrahim Zadran (vice-capt), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Mohammad Ishaq (wk), Sediqullah Atal, Wafiullah Tarakhil, Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Bashir Ahmad, Fareed Ahmad Malik, Abdullah Ahmadzai. Reserves: AM Ghazanfar, Rahmat Shah.

ODI Squad: Hashmatullah Shahidi (capt), Rahmat Shah (vice-capt), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ikram Alikhil (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Nangeyalia Kharote, AM Ghazanfar, Abdullah Ahmadzai, Bashir Ahmad, Mohammad Saleem Safi. Reserves: Bilal Sami, Faridoon Dawoodzai.

The ICC reprimanded Afghanistan’s spin duo, Noor Ahmad and Mujeeb Ur Rahman, for violations of the ICC Code of Conduct during their Asia Cup game against Sri Lanka in Abu Dhabi on Thursday.

The penalties were imposed by the match referees as a Level 1 offence in the Code following incidents during the game. Noor, the left-arm wrist-spinner, was found to have violated Article 2.8, which refers to "showing dissent at an umpire's decision." The 19-year-old showed visible signs of frustration after one of his deliveries was ruled a wide, in the 16th over, by the on-field umpire.

Mujeeb was charged with an Article 2.2 violation of the Code for the "abuse of cricket equipment or clothing, ground equipment or fixtures and fittings during an International Match." While on the field, the off-spinner broke the stumps with his towel, which was determined to be a breach of the Code.

Sri Lanka remains unbeaten as Afghanistan bow out after disciplinary matters involving the spin pair

Both have accepted the charges, both are subject to the sanctions proposed by Richie Richardson, ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees, meaning there won't be a formal hearing. In addition to the reprimands, both players will receive a demerit point added to their disciplinary record; this is the first offence for both Noor and Mujeeb in a 24-month period. The charges were brought by on-field umpires Asif Yaqoob and Virender Sharma, third umpire Faisal Afridi and fourth umpire Rohan Pandit.

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On the field, Sri Lanka maintained their good form in the tournament, winning convincingly by six wickets. Chasing down Afghanistan's target, Sri Lanka made it three wins on the bounce and remain unbeaten in the tournament. For Afghanistan, it was their second loss on the bounce, which knocks them out of the Asia Cup.

While the sanctioning on the field was frustrating, neither Noor or Mujeeb will have to refocus both of them on their upcoming assignments after Afghanistan was knocked out of the Asia Cup. The duo will look to bounce back stronger in the future and be more mindful and not specimen such situation on the field.

Afghanistan head coach Jonathan Trott expressed his disappointment following his team’s defeat against Sri Lanka in Match 11 of the Asia Cup 2025. The Rashid Khan-led side lost a do-or-die encounter by six wickets, ending their campaign in the continental tournament. Trott, a former English batter, praised Mohammad Nabi and the batting lineup for posting a competitive total but stressed that mistakes in bowling and fielding cost the team dearly.

“It was a very disappointing loss and a hard one to swallow. We felt we were in a good position, especially after Nabi’s heroics helped us reach 170 [169]. The batters actually played well, but we let them off with our bowling and fielding,” Trott told India Today. He emphasized that Afghanistan’s inability to start strongly with the ball gave Sri Lanka an early advantage in the match.

Trott also acknowledged the opposition’s achievement, noting that Sri Lanka became the second team from Group B to advance to the Super Four stage. “We didn’t start well in the powerplay with the ball and gave them an early advantage. Too many basic errors, whether in batting, bowling, or fielding cost us. You don’t win games at cricket, certainly in tournaments like this with those mistakes. Full credit to Bangladesh, who go through along with Sri Lanka,” he added.

Nabi’s Late Blitz Not Enough as Sri Lanka Prevails

Afghanistan decided to bat first and made 169 runs for the loss of 8 wickets in their 20 overs. Besides that, Nabi (60* off 22) made the innings explosive, scoring five sixes in the last over of the innings. His innings could not prevent Sri Lanka from winning. Kusal Mendis (74* off 52) and Kamindu Mendis (26* off 13) played a leading role in scoring the runs and led the team to an easy victory.

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On the bowling side of the game, Nuwan Thushara was tremendous for Sri Lanka as he picked up four wickets (4/18 in four overs), while Fazalhaq Farooqi, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, and Noor Ahmad conceded 117 runs in 9.4 overs. With Sri Lanka's stronger powerplay of 53/2 in the first six overs, it seemed to set the standard for the chase, as well as expose the failings of Afghanistan in all three departments.

Sri Lanka qualified for the Super Fours with a comfortable 6-wicket victory over Afghanistan in Match 11 of the Asia Cup 2025 at Abu Dhabi. Batting first, Afghanistan managed 169/8, a stunning late burst from Mohammad Nabi (60 off 22 balls), which included five sixes in an over. However, their innings was dented by an early collapse triggered by Nuwan Thushara’s fiery spell. Chasing 170, Sri Lanka built their reply around Kusal Mendis’s composed 74 off 52 balls, who anchored the innings with maturity. The Lankans eventually reached the target at 171/4 with 8 balls to spare, knocking Afghanistan out of the tournament. Below are the main reasons for Afghanistan defeat:

1. Nuwan Thushara’s incisive opening spell

Thushara (4/18) bowled an aggressive spell, taking early wickets, including Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran. His control of the new ball allowed Sri Lanka to take control at the start of the chase.

2. Collapse under pressure in the middle overs

After a good beginning, Afghanistan batted poorly in the 10th to 14th overs and four of their main batsmen were out. Among the several wickets which fell was the run out of Rashid Khan. As a result of the confusion in the middle order, the match went firmly into Sri Lanka's hands.

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3. Sri Lanka’s composed chase led by Mendis

Despite pursuing a small target, Sri Lanka had the chase built around Kusal Mendis's contribution of 74, and with the rest of the middle order easing even during moments of high pressure, Sri Lanka did not let Afghanistan's hopes rise with late wickets or Nabi's explosive innings.

Group B of the Asia Cup 2025 is hanging in the balance as Afghanistan prepares for a must-win encounter against Sri Lanka on Thursday, September 18, in Abu Dhabi. Having started their campaign with a commanding victory over Hong Kong, Afghanistan looked in control, but a narrow defeat to Bangladesh has left their future uncertain. This final group-stage clash will not only decide Afghanistan’s fate but also play a decisive role in Bangladesh’s qualification hopes.

Afghanistan delivered a clinical performance in their first match against Hong Kong and won the game by 94 runs; with that win, they secured two valuable points and had boosted their net run rate (NRR) to +2.150. Afghanistan then suffered an early setback in their second match against Bangladesh. Chasing 155, Afghanistan showed glimpses of brilliance, with Azmatullah Omarzai’s 30 providing hope, but Mustafizur Rahman and Taskin Ahmed’s sharp death bowling restricted them to 146, resulting in an eight-run defeat.

With that loss, Afghanistan sits on two points from two matches, making the final clash against Sri Lanka a do-or-die battle. Meanwhile, Bangladesh has completed all three of its group fixtures, winning two and losing one. Hong Kong, on the other hand, is already eliminated, leaving the fight for two Super Four spots between Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh.

Possible Scenarios for Afghanistan Qualification

If Sri Lanka wins against Afghanistan, they will finish on six points and top the group, while Bangladesh will qualify second with four points despite their weaker NRR. This outcome would end Afghanistan’s campaign with just two points. However, if Afghanistan wins, a three-way tie at four points will emerge, and net run rate will determine the qualifiers.

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Afghanistan, already possessing the best NRR, would qualify with any margin of victory. Sri Lanka’s superior NRR still keeps them in contention unless they suffer a heavy defeat. For Bangladesh, the only route to qualification lies in Afghanistan beating Sri Lanka by a huge margin, such as a 70+ run win or a chase with 50+ balls to spare, so that Sri Lanka’s NRR drops below –0.270.

Bangladesh kept their Super Four ambitions with a nail-biting 8-run victory over Afghanistan in Match 9 of the Asia Cup 2025 at Abu Dhabi. Having won the toss, Bangladesh chose to bat first and managed to score a decent 154/5 in 20 overs with plenty of contributions from the top and middle order. In reply, Afghanistan's chase faltered in the middle and despite some spirited mini-fights from Rashid Khan and Gulbadin Naib, bowled for 146 in 20 overs to hand Bangladesh an 8-run win. Mustafizur Rahman (3/28) and Nasum Ahmed (2/11) starred with the ball, while Afghans couldn’t sustain momentum. Below are the main reasons for Afghanistan defeat:

1. Bangladesh’s disciplined bowling under pressure

Bangladesh's bowlers, led by Mustafizur Rahman (3/28) and Nasum Ahmed (2/11) took early wickets and continued to take wickets. Their tight spells, particularly at the death, choked Afghanistan's scoring and halted any momentum.

2. Middle-order collapse derailed the chase

Afghanistan lost four wickets in between 10-15 overs, as they went from 62/4 to needing huge hits on a regular basis. Gulbadin Naib’s mistimed slog and Rashid Khan leaving sealed their fate.

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3. Failing to build a late-over partnership

There was a mini-resurgence with Rashid Khan (20 off 11) and AZmatullah Omarzai in the final overs, but by then the required run rate had soared. Missed singles, a run-out (Karim Janat), and tight fielding from Bangladesh ended their fight.

On the evening of August 31, 2025, a catastrophic earthquake struck Afghanistan, visibly affecting the nation, with Kunar province bearing the greatest loss. Villages were destroyed, families were displaced, and thousands of survivors were left without food, shelter, or medical assistance. 

Behind the statistics are real human experiences: mothers looking for food for their children, fathers attempting to rebuild walls that have fallen down with no tools but their hands, and children dealing with the reality that their homes are no longer there, nor are their family members. The catastrophic event has rendered so many Afghan families hopeless and in desperation, and in urgent need of support.

Watch the video: 

Heartbroken for my people in Kunar after the devastating earthquake. I’ve launched a GoFundMe to support the victims every donation can help rebuild lives. Please stand with us. 🙏💙https://t.co/PEcwlIGDF8 pic.twitter.com/YmVcN0JJwK

— Rashid Khan (@rashidkhan_19) September 2, 2025

Rashid Khan’s Heartfelt Appeal After Kunar Earthquake

Afghanistan's cricket icon, Rashid Khan, shared in his anguish for his people in Kunar, "I am shattered by the reality I see in the scenes of destruction." He launched a GoFundMe campaign to help the victims in Kunar, asking his worldwide fanbase and wishes well to donate. "Every penny counts, and you can help rebuild lives," Rashid implored, adding, "Let's stand together in times like this."

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Alongside Rashid Khan’s effort, the Afghan Cultural Society (dba Afghan American Home) has also stepped forward to coordinate relief. For years, the organization has supported Afghan communities in times of hardship, and today, it is once again mobilizing aid.

With your support, families in Kunar and beyond can receive:

• Emergency food and clean water

• Temporary shelter and warm blankets

• Medical care for the injured

• Comfort and dignity for grieving families

The journey to recovery will be a difficult one, but if we turn hope into action, it's possible that hope can rise out of the ashes. Each offering is more than a generous donation; it is a message to Afghan families that they haven't been abandoned and that the world still stands in solidarity and support with them.

Now is the time to stand together, whether it is through the GoFundMe of Rashid Khan or the relief campaign through the Afghan Cultural Society (or any organization of your choice). Your generous donations can help bring a glimmer of light in the darkest of times.

On behalf of the Afghan people, thank you for your generosity, prayers, and support.

Finally, after weeks of anticipation, the schedule for the 17th edition of the Asia Cup 2025 has been officially released, sparking excitement among cricket fans across the continent. While India retains its hosting rights, due to political tensions, all matches will now be played at neutral venues in the UAE—primarily Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Afghanistan, who are becoming increasingly known for their fearless style of play and growing stature in world cricket, will now be looking to make a real dent in the tournament. Afghanistan's best finish in their Asia Cup history was in 2018, when they almost reached the final, finishing as runners-up in a Super Four match against India. In the 2023 edition of the Asia Cup, Afghanistan was unable to progress beyond the group stage due to the close defeats they suffered in a tough group. As they head now into 2025, they will want to convert those missed opportunities into wins.

Afghanistan’s Asia Cup 2025 Schedule

The Asia Cup 2025 will be conducted between September 9 and September 28. Afghanistan is part of Group B, which also includes Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Hong Kong. The top two teams from each group will progress to the Super Four stage, and the best two from there will meet in the final. Here's Afghanistan’s group stage schedule:

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Asia Cup 2025 – Super Four Stage Schedule

Final arrangements are being made for a tri-nation T20I series involving Pakistan, Afghanistan, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), with an official announcement expected as soon as the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) meeting in Dhaka concludes. The series will be marketed as a preparatory event for the next edition of the Asia Cup in 2025, so the teams have the chance to prepare for when they return to the Gulf region.

Originally, Afghanistan had planned to tour Pakistan in August for a bilateral T20I series, but the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) proposed to transition it into a tri-nation T20I series in the UAE. This proposal seemed to be well received by the respective boards, particularly noting the advantages of playing in the UAE in preparation for a major continental event, given the geographical and climatic surroundings.

Sources have suggested that the final arrangements for this series are at the end stages and are being worked on at the ACC's Annual General Meeting (AGM) currently in Bangladesh, and assuming the sessions are completed, they will formally announce the full schedule and locations.

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ACC Meeting With Full Support: UAE Tri-Series Probably in August

The ACC AGM demonstrated strong participation with 24 of 25 member nations confirming they would be present, well above the required 13 member nations in order for the Nomination to be taken as a vote. This will be seen as a diplomatic victory for the ACC President Mohsin Naqvi, particularly after the major boards like the BCCI, Sri Lanka Cricket, and Oman Cricket indicated they were hesitant about the venue choice. India, although they weren't comfortable, agreed, and virtual representation through BCCI Vice-President Rajeev Shukla shows a willingness for the discussion in a much more conciliatory manner.

Meanwhile, Afghanistan Cricket Board spokesman Sayed Naseem Sadat earlier confirmed that the team is set to play a T20 and ODI series this year against Pakistan, Bangladesh, Zimbabwe, and the UAE. He noted that the team had initially planned to play three T20Is against Pakistan in August fixtures that could now become part of the UAE-hosted tri-series. The tournament, if confirmed, is expected to generate solid fan interest and provide valuable match practice ahead of a crucial Asia Cup campaign.